Free Resources
In late 2024, Believe and Become Occupational Therapy was successful in securing a grant from the NDIS to deliver Peer Support and Capacity Building programs in the Macarthur and Southern Highlands areas and beyond. Through the grant we are delivering initiatives to support people with disability and their families and carers, including people not eligible for, or who do not have, NDIS funding. These include peer support groups, workshops, information sessions and resources. Below you can access all of the free resources we have been able to develop through support of the grant. We will continue to update this page.
While these resources are free to share, we ask that you share the link to this website rather than downloading and sharing electronic copies of the resources directly. This will help us greatly in measuring our reach. Thank you!
Card sets for affirming conversations
This printable set contains 80 cards, each reflecting a different skill or activity. Also included are cards designed to help young people sort the cards into groups based on strengths and challenges, and/or based on how important learning the skill is to them.
This printable set contains 112 cards, each reflecting a different skill or activity. Also included are cards designed to help adults sort the cards into groups based on strengths and challenges, and/or based on how important learning or managing the skill is to them.
This 100 card set is designed to support positive conversations about neurodiversity and to help people explore both their individual strengths, and those areas they may need support.
This printable set contains 32 cards, each reflecting a different reasonable adjustment which may support students with learning differences or disabilities to engage in education settings.
This printable set contains 88 cards, each reflecting a different energy and emotional regulation strategy. The images are suitable for children and young people (can certainly be used by adults too - you can also check out our adult's regulation tools set for age-appropriate imaging). Great for use by occupational therapists, psychologists, other allied health professionals and educators for practical activities to help young people explore a wide range of regulation tools to include in their toolbox.
This printable set contains 88 cards, each reflecting a different regulation strategy. The images are suitable for teens and adults (check out our kid’s regulation tools set too!). Great for use by occupational therapists, psychologists, other allied health professionals and educators for practical activities to help people explore a wide range of regulation tools to include in their toolbox.
The transition to high school can be difficult for all young people. It brings additional challenges for neurodivergent youth as they navigate new environments, social complexities, and new executive function demands.
These cards introduce a range of scenarios young people may encounter and provide helpful discussion prompts.
Targeting upper primary and high school students, these cards are suitable for young people of all neurotypes. Great for use by occupational therapists, psychologists, other allied health professionals and educators for practical activities to help people explore social situations, reflect on how they may make us feel, brainstorm responses and problem solve challenges.
This printable set contains 64 visual cards reflecting the basic emotions of happy, sad, angry and scared - a mix of cartoon-style graphics and photographs. It also includes 16 prompt cards to facilitate activities including sorting games and discussions.
This printable set contains 13 battery cards and over 120 feeling, sensory and activity cards, with blank cards included to add your own. The images are suitable for both young people and adults. Use them to identify your personal battery chargers and drainers and support your energy levels.
Energy, regulation and sensory tools
This fact sheet provides links to a wide range of websites, books for adults and children and podcasts to support an affirming understanding of regulation and behaviour.
This fact sheet provides an introduction to the nervous system and it's key responses to stress.
This fact sheet explains how we use energy meters to support children, young people and adults alike to understand and regulate their energy levels throughout their day. The concept of energy meters is relevant to ALL people, including neurodivergent people.
We love to work with individuals to personalise their energy meter so it is meaningful to them. This resource provides some examples.
This fact sheet provides an overview of sensory processing, sensory profiles, and introduces strategies that can support varying sensory needs.
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Use this checklist to start to understand your sensory preferences and how they present in daily life.
Interoception in an internal sense which enables us to notice, identify and respond to internal physical and emotional states. This factsheet provides an introduction to this complex sense and strategies to support the development of interoceptive awareness.
This resource provides a brief introduction to the Zones of Regulation. The Zones is designed to support children to develop the skills needed to become aware of their body signals, make responsible decisions, and learn to regulate their emotions and actions.
This factsheet provides an introduction to energy conservation and pacing strategies, practical tips and an activity and energy log.
This factsheet provides an introduction to the pomodoro technique designed to support focus and productivity and help manage energy levels.
This factsheet provides links to a range of Australian mental health crisis and support contact information
Exploring neurodivergence resources
This fact sheet provides links to a wide range of websites, books for adults and children, podcasts and social media accounts to support an affirming understanding of neurodiversity.
This factsheet provides an introduction to friendships and neurodiversity, the double empathy problem and practical tips to help young people develop affirming friendships and social connections and navigate challenges
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is an anxiety-driven set of characteristics that co-exist for some autistic people. This factsheet introduces the characteristics of PDA and practical strategies to support PDAers in daily life.
An evidence-based workbook on understanding and supporting rejection sensitivity in neurodivergent people
This evidence-based workbook provides vital information and practical activities to support autistic mothers experiencing burnout.
Girls and women are at a substantially elevated risk of going unrecognised, undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or likely to experience significant delays and barriers when seeking an autism diagnosis. This brief guide for health professionals provides evidence-informed practical tips to help change this narrative.
This factsheet provides an overview of ADHD, diagnosis pathways, the impact of ADHD on daily life and practical tips to support ADHDers.
The festive season can be tricky for neurodivergent people and their families. Check out our practical tips - including the importance of celebrating in a way that works for your family, and honouring everyone’s needs and preferences.
Disability rights and self-advocacy resources
This resource provides children with an introduction to their rights under disability legislation.
This factsheet provides an introduction to the various protections that are in place in Australia to protect the rights of people with disability, and links to further information and practical tools to support you to advocate for your rights.
This factsheet provides an introduction to self-advocacy and practical tips to support children and young people to build their self-advocacy skills.
This factsheet provides an introduction to relevant Australian and NSW legislation detailing the rights of students with disability to access reasonable adjustments in education.
Life skills and executive function resources
This checklist is designed for high school students, educators and therapists to explore priorities for further life skill development.
This factsheet provides an overview of 12 key executive functioning skills and the impact of executive function challenges on daily life. It provides practical strategies to support executive functioning.
This resource provides a range of practical tips to support executive function in daily life. It includes tips for attention, working memory, activity levels and impulse control, planning, problem solving, task initiation and motivation.
Developing motor skills and school readiness
This resource provides a school readiness checklist for families and early educators as well as practical tips to develop children's skills in preparation for primary school.
This factsheet provides helpful tips on ways to support children's skills in using both sides of their body in a coordinated way.
This factsheet provides an introduction to how the proprioceptive and vestibular systems help us connect with our body in space, and provides lots of practical activities to help build children's body awareness.
This factsheet highlights why midline crossing is important and provides loads of practical activities to support children's ability to cross their midline to support daily activities.
This factsheet highlights why developing a dominant hand is important and how to support children's development of fine motor skills.
This factsheet provides lots of practical tips for supporting children to build independence in dressing skills.
This factsheet explains why finger isolation skills are important in daily life and gives lots of practical ideas and activities to support children's skill development.
This factsheet explains why hand strength is important in daily life and gives lots of practical ideas and activities to support children's skill development.
This visual factsheet provides lots of practical ideas for using Theraputty to support hand strength and fine motor skills.
This factsheet provides lots of practical ideas for helping young children to build their skills using scissors.
We are proudly delivering projects for the Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant for the NDIS, including developing these free resources.